[THE INVESTOR] A group of employees at Samsung Electronics’ US office formed a political action committee in 2015 to engage in activities such as fund-raising and providing support for politicians.

Called Samsung Electronics America Inc. Political Action Committee, or Samsung America PAC, the group was formed late last year, and since then has raised around $17,000. 

Steve Merlis, a senior director of Samsung’s government relations and public policy division, along with an unspecified number of Samsung employees filed the application to set up the group at the Federal Election Commission.

Samsung’s Korean headquarters said the group was formed independently by American employees, and that it had nothing to do with the organization.

It is the first time for employees at a Korean company’s US subsidiary to organize such groups to engage in political activities. But firms in other countries, such as Japan’s Toyota and Sony, have long been trying to influence the US political circles by establishing political action committees.


By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)